Arsenal 'working on' new Aubameyang and Lacazette contracts - Emery

Arsenal are "working on" new contracts for star strikers Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, according to Unai Emery.

Reports emerged on deadline day that both frontmen had agreed new deals, although sources at the Emirates immediately denied that anything had been signed.

Emery has now confirmed neither have put pen to paper but that talks are ongoing with both.

“They are very important players and their contracts need to be in the same balance,” said Arsenal’s head coach.

“It’s one circumstance, one issue now, that the club is working on.

“Edu is here for that reason. There's also Raul [Sanllehi] and Huss [Fahmy], working with the players for that.

“It’s important for them, but my focus is on preparing the matches, each training session and making sure the players are focused and concentrated for us and on the work.”

Aubameyang - who finished last season with 22 Premier League goals and a share of the Golden Boot - got up and running for the new campaign last weekend when he bagged the winner in Arsenal’s 1-0 victory at Newcastle.

The 30-year-old’s current deal expires in 2021, while Lacazette - Arsenal’s player of the year last season - is committed until 2022, having signed for five years when he joined from Lyon in 2017.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 2019/20

Both players have been linked with moves away in recent months, with Aubameyang said to be attracting interest from Manchester United and Lacazette believed to be wanted by Atletico Madrid.

But Emery is adamant he wants both to stay in north London for a long time.

“I want the best for the club,” said the Spaniard. “And I want the best for the players.

"I think if the club and they are speaking about that, it's perfect.”

Emery meanwhile has again held back from officially confirming who will be Arsenal’s new club captain this season.

Laurent Koscielny’s exit means a new skipper is needed, with Granit Xhaka the man tipped to take on the armband on a permanent basis.

The Switzerland international was captain last weekend at Newcastle, just as he was against Barcelona in Arsenal’s final pre-season game of the summer.

But Emery - who again wants his squad to include five skippers - stopped short of naming Xhaka as the new club captain ahead of Saturday’s game with Burnley.

“At the moment there is no change,” said Arsenal’s head coach.

“Some circumstances are meaning it is taking more time to do that meeting and close with the five captains.”